INMED International Healthcare Preceptor Award
This award recognizes individuals who have made an important impact in training of the next generation of international healthcare volunteers. Through their instruction and their role modeling, award recipients express the value of each individual.
Mark Muilenburg 2022 International. Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
The 2022 International Healthcare Preceptor Award recipient is Mark Muilenburg. And ultrasound technologist originally from the Iowa City area, Mark Muilenburg’s career is largely focused on equipping healthcare professionals with critical ultrasound skills essential for underserved communities. Such teaching has brought him to Africa and Asia, and several times to teach at INMED. Realizing the limits of infrastructure in low-resource communities, he is currently very involved in the product development of a wireless, battery-powered, cell-phone-sized, high-resolution ultrasound scanner. When he’s not abroad teaching ultrasound, Mark Muilenburg shares his skill at a crisis pregnancy center in Naples, Florida.
David Culpepper 2021 International. Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
The 2021 International Healthcare Preceptor Award recipient is David Culpepper, MD. Dr. Culpepper is an internist and Point of Care Ultrasound Fellow with Ultrasound Leadership Academy. Armed with a professional Degree in Pharmacy, he trained at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, he is certified in echocardiography and internal medicine, holds a Fellowship in the American College of Physicians, and practiced general internal medicine and hospital medicine for three decades. Dr. Culpepper has provided volunteer medical services to marginalized people in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Romania, Kenya, and refugees on the Greek Island of Lesvos. His professional passion is teaching point of care ultrasound skills to those serving around the world in low-resource communities, and since 20015 Dr. Culpepper has taught ultrasound skill for INMED learners.
Gautam Desai 2020 International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
The 2020 INMED International Healthcare Preceptor Award recipient is Gautam Desai. A professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at Kansas City University (KCU), Dr. Desai oversees the Honors Track in Global Medicine. Since 2001, he has been mentoring KCU learners at locations around the globe including Guatemala, while in closer to home serving at Kansas City Free Health Clinic. On a higher level, Dr. Desai has applied his experience as President of DOCARE International, a non-profit medical outreach program that brings health care to isolated people in Guatemala, Peru, India, Malawi, and Nicaragua. His recognitions include the DOCARE International Robert A. Klobnak Award for service, the Ingram’s Magazine Heroes in Healthcare Award for volunteerism, but most importantly the sincere respect and gratitude of KCU students.
Calvin Wilson, 2019 International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
The 2019 INMED International Healthcare Preceptor Award recipient is Calvin Wilson. Dr. Wilson served as Director of the Center for Global Health at University of Colorado Denver. His leadership includes collaborations for primary healthcare and health systems development in Ghana, Peru, Indonesia, and Albania. Most significantly, Dr. Wilson guided USAID and CDC collaborative projects to train family physicians in Rwanda and established the first family medicine training program in Ecuador. In the Middle East, Dr. Wilson joined with the Jordan Medical Council to develop a national continuing education program for primary care physicians. In 2003, Dr. Wilson was awarded the Smilkstein Award in International Family Medicine of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and in 2005, the Humanitarian of the Year Award of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
James, 2018 International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
James, a Kansas City native, began his career as a youth pastor in El Salvador. James later qualified as a registered nurse, serving at Saint Luke’s Hospital and North Kansas City Hospital. At the 2012 Humanitarian Health Conference James met representatives from a healthcare organization working in a remote location in Asia. In 2015 James and his wife Rosie moved to that nation with their two pre-school children. James’ main responsibility in Asia continues to be instructing and mentoring national nursing students to give quality care to their own people. James, who was a volunteer at the very first INMED Humanitarian Health Conference in 2006, is also today an INMED International Medicine Fellow.
Vicki Hicks, 2017 International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
Vicki Hicks, RN MSN, entered international service via trips through Village Presbyterian Church and Mercy & Truth Medical Missions. Vicki, who has been teaching nursing at Kansas University Medical Center, next became inspired to create similar opportunities for her students, and for some twenty-five years KU nursing students have enjoyed these formative experiences. Just months ago, she facilitated twenty-three students to experience healthcare in Guatemala, Gulu -Uganda, CMC Vellore – India, palliative care in Belgium, and refugee health here in Kansas City through Jewish Vocational Services and Catholic Charities. Throughout, Vicki emphasizes a population-based approach to understanding health needs, as well as a sustainable partnership approach to meeting these needs
Paul Larson, 2014 INMED International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
Following formal training in family medicine and tropical diseases, Paul Larson, MD, he practiced for two years at Kapsowar Hospital in Kenya in association with the Africa Inland Church. Returning to the USA, he completed graduate studies in medical education and a fellowship in faculty development. Today Dr. Larson is director of Global Health Education at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s St. Margaret Family Medicine Residency. He also continues to rigorously apply his teaching skills by supervising INMED Diploma students at the Baptist Medical Center in northern Ghana, where by personal example and by instruction he casts a vision for the next generation of globally minded healthcare leaders.
Winston Manimtim, 2013 INMED International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
Winston Manimtim is a physician graduate of both the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines and the INMED Professional Diploma in International Medicine & Public Health. Today he is a neonatologist at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and is particularly active in teaching the American Academy of Pediatrics Helping Babies Breathe Program both in the United States and in his native Philippines. Helping Babies Breathe is an innovative skill set designed to equip birth attendants to resuscitate newborn babies in low-resource settings, and then to intentionally transfer these skills to others. Hence, Dr. Manimtim has positively impacted lifesaving skills on behalf of thousands of infants worldwide.
Cindy Obenhaus, 2012 INMED International Healthcare Preceptor Award Recipient
Cindy Obenhaus began her service to the world’s most marginalized people with a simple mission trip to Haiti in 1987. From this experience grew a dream sustainable health improvement that culminated in 2004 with establishment of Maison de Nassiance. This modern birthing home is staffed entirely by Haitians caring for their own in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation. Most recently, Cindy as a neonatal nurse is a lead instructor in Helping Babies Breathe, a newborn resuscitation program that trains health care staff to provide lifesaving care during the critical first minute after birth. Cindy says, “As a Christian, I’m called to go out into the world, to step out of my comfort zone. Being uncomfortable is good. It’s where we best serve and to grow as people. Go ahead: Get uncomfortable!”
John Gibson, 2011 INMED International Preceptor Award Recipient
Dr. Gibson is Program Director of the International Medicine Fellowship at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. He lived in Thailand from 1984-2004 in association with the International Mission Board, training Thai medical personnel and providing care for marginalized citizens. Fluent in the Thai language, Dr. Gibson sat for the Thai medical licensure exam and is fully credentialed in that nation. Dr. Gibson today supervises INMED students and residents at the Baptist Medical Center in Ghana and is an Director of the INMED Professional Certificate Course in Ultrasound for Primary Care.
Nancy Crigger, 2010 INMED International Preceptor Award Recipient
Dr. Crigger is a family nurse practitioner and associate professor of nursing at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, and Graceland University in Kansas City, Missouri. For two decades, she has organized and instructed American nursing students in providing care on location in Central America. Dr Crigger has developed particularly keen insights into training individuals for international service with regard to culture, ethics, and best practice tools, and has made a consistent impact on the international healthcare volunteers of tomorrow.
Todd Stephens, 2009 INMED International Preceptor Award Recipient
After serving six years in Kenya and Rwanda, Dr. Stephens developed a vision to inspire other healthcare professionals with his passion and skills. Today he directs the Post-Residency International Family Medicine Fellowship at Via Christi Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. This unique, one-year fellowship incorporates study of global health and supervised service in developing nations. More importantly, Dr. Stephens is instilling vision among younger people to care for those who are least able to care for themselves.
Bruce Banwart, 2008 INMED International Medicine Preceptor Award Recipient
Bruce Banwart, MD, is an intensive care specialist at the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and a veteran of medical service in Latin America, Africa, and Asia with Operation Smile. Dr. Banwart has been a regular presenter at the INMED Humanitarian Health Conference, and promotes international medical education by leading pediatric residents on service-learning experiences in developing nations.
